Trolley Problem, Inc.

About

Trolley Problem, Inc. is a single player and multiplayer casual simulation game with drama and comedy themes. It was developed by Read Graves and was released on April 21, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Trolley Problem, Inc." is a thought-provoking simulation game that presents players with ethical dilemmas in a lighthearted yet challenging way. As the CEO of a trolley company, players must make decisions that will have serious consequences for their passengers. Navigate through various scenarios, balance profit and safety, and ponder the philosophical implications of your choices.

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70%

Audience ScoreBased on 891 reviews

humor90 positive mentions

monetization6 negative mentions

Thought-provoking and unique exploration of moral dilemmas.
Engaging narration that adds humor and challenges players' choices.
Cites philosophical sources for further reading, enhancing the educational aspect.

Choices often feel meaningless as the game berates players regardless of their decisions.
The pacing can be slow, with long wait times between choices.
Some scenarios are overly absurd and detract from the philosophical depth.

humor
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is a mix of dark, sarcastic, and thought-provoking elements, often eliciting laughter while challenging players with moral dilemmas. While many players appreciate the clever writing and engaging narrator, some feel the humor can become repetitive or miss the mark, especially when the outcomes remain unchanged regardless of choices made. Overall, the game is seen as entertaining and funny, particularly in a group setting, but opinions vary on its effectiveness and depth in delivering humor alongside philosophical questions.
- “The game is so funny and also emotional and deep in a way I like it a lot. 10/10 would recommend.”
- “It's a great game if you want to think about ridiculous scenarios while laughing about moral philosophy.”
- “Clever and hilarious little game that can spark some meaningful conversations.”
- “Your humor is fake edgy and not funny.”
- “Not funny at all”
story
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
72%
10%
The game's story is largely linear, with many players expressing frustration over the lack of meaningful consequences for their choices, which often feel predetermined and arbitrary. While some appreciate the humor and philosophical themes woven into the narrative, others criticize the execution as disjointed and lacking coherence, leading to a sense of being an observer rather than an active participant. Overall, the story offers engaging moments but fails to deliver on the promise of a truly choice-driven experience.
- “The story is incredibly fun, laced with wit, and often delivers unexpected twists that keep you fully engaged from start to finish.”
- “It’s a perfect blend of humor, philosophy, and interactive storytelling, with a well-paced timer that keeps the experience engaging without being stressful.”
- “Genuinely really great game based on the trolley problem and other, similar thought experiments, and an actually interesting story.”
- “The story is linear; the only things that change are the narrator's dialogue after your choice and your 'receipt.' I don't expect some Telltale-level branching, but if my choices don't matter and I get reprimanded for any choice I make, why should I be playing the game?”
- “So yeah, it's hard to enjoy playing a game that calls itself 'choice driven' when the game's storyline contradicts and ignores any of your desperate attempts to make a significant decision.”
- “The story is the same no matter what options you pick.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
10%
The game's graphics receive mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the clean visuals and unique art style, while others criticize glitches and accessibility issues that detract from the experience. Although the aesthetic is generally described as pleasing and fitting for the game's themes, there are complaints about distracting effects and a lack of polish that can lead to frustration. Overall, the graphics are seen as a blend of creativity and simplicity, with moments of charm overshadowed by technical shortcomings.
- “The game offers some nice graphics and environments; although there are some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “It's an extremely smooth, aesthetically pleasing game with a pretty clear point, in my opinion.”
- “The art style fits perfectly with the vibe, and the narration makes you fall in love with the game as well.”
- “The only valid complaint is the lag; it crashes pretty frequently for being such a simple game graphically.”
- “My only real complaint is the graphical glitch style towards the end; it is done deliberately, but I think it goes on too long and causes a little eye strain.”
- “Not only because of the annoying vibrating doodle-like graphic scheme, but also because they managed to inject an infamous level of woke politics into the game, therefore spoiling interesting philosophical dilemmas.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
69%
12%
The gameplay is primarily centered around answering binary questions related to moral dilemmas, which can feel tedious due to lengthy menus and timers, despite the core mechanic being thought-provoking and engaging. While the gameplay is smooth and accessible, many players feel it lacks depth and meaningful agency, with limited impact on the overall narrative. Overall, the experience is described as more focused on presentation and ethical exploration than on traditional gameplay mechanics.
- “The game's core mechanic revolves around the famous trolley problem, but it takes the concept much further, presenting a series of moral quandaries that are both thought-provoking and surprisingly entertaining.”
- “It allows you to think through your decisions carefully while still maintaining the tension that makes the gameplay so immersive.”
- “With its clever gameplay mechanics and ethical dilemmas, every decision feels impactful and meaningful.”
- “The gameplay format is tedious, with questions taking about a minute from beginning to end with all the menu stuff around them, but the problem is each question really only requires five or ten seconds of thought.”
- “Not much gameplay to speak of; it's just answering binary questions, so I'll just shotgun the rest of my thoughts in a single paragraph.”
- “While it is true that, save for a few exceptions, your answers to the questions do not actually have a major effect on the storyline, I'd like to note that this lack of agency is a very purposeful mechanic of the game.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it engaging and worth revisiting for achievements or social play, many criticize its linearity and limited content, leading to a lack of substantial replay value. The experience is often described as enjoyable but short, with some players feeling that the price does not justify the minimal replay opportunities available.
- “Awesome game, very engaging and has replay value.”
- “A good time with friends and more replay value than you'd think trying to get the achievements.”
- “It's short, but replayable on Twitch, as well as against your family.”
- “No real replay value besides being berated in a different way.”
- “But the biggest downside is the 0 replay value.”
- “There is very little replay value to be found here because of it.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from laughter to deep reflection and even distress, as players confront personal biases and past traumas. While some moments may feel insulting rather than thought-provoking, the engaging writing and impactful themes create a tight experience that leaves players emotionally drained yet fulfilled. Overall, the game effectively balances humor and seriousness, prompting players to reflect on their choices and emotions.
- “It's got a message and a way of getting it across that I think is really engaging, sometimes touching, sometimes funny.”
- “I cried once, laughed a lot, contacted an old friend, had past traumas dug up, and killed many children.”
- “It's not long, but it does everything it needs to, resulting in a hugely tight experience which left me slightly emotionally weary in the best way possible.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting serious performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the narrator's performance, many feel that the script and limited choices further exacerbate the game's poor optimization. Overall, the consensus is that the game suffers significantly from technical shortcomings.
- “The game is not bad, but it has serious performance issues.”
- “I liked the narrator's performance; I just think the writing they were given could have been better.”
- “This game is incredibly poorly optimized.”
- “Lol this game is dogshit, so badly optimized.”
- “What's even more outrageous is that the joy of thought experiments is deconstructed by limited choice time, annoying voice-overs, and thrilling visual performances.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for its reliance on intrusive advertising, particularly in the context of a choice-driven narrative that lacks meaningful impact. Players feel that the game misrepresents the significance of their decisions, as opting for ad-supported services leads to convoluted consequences that detract from the overall experience. This raises concerns about data collection and the true value of player choices within the monetization framework.
- “It's equivalent to advertising a racing game as 'co-op' but you don't get separate cars, just one car that you can drive with controller A or B.”
- “Or if we choose to advertise to customers in our free driverless taxi service instead of selling driverless cars themselves, are we also collecting data about the customers, or are the ads just an annoyance the passenger has to put up with in exchange for the service?”
- “Nowhere is the game advertising that 'your choices matter/change the game'... that's just an assumption that's been drilled into us by a lot of other games with choices in it!”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by several glitches and buggy achievements, which detract from the overall experience. While the graphics and environments are visually appealing, the presence of these technical issues, including unresponsive achievements and game-breaking errors, significantly impacts gameplay.
- “Also, one achievement is buggy and not awarding it to me.”
- “Two buggy achievements (100% and all items).”
- “A couple of achievements are buggy and don't unlock correctly as they should.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as the lengthy question format and waiting times detract from the experience, especially when answers are known quickly. The necessity for additional lives to manage grinding further adds to the frustration.
- “The gameplay format is tedious, with questions taking about a minute from beginning to end, but each question really only requires five or ten seconds of thought.”
- “It can be a bit tedious when you know your answer right off the bat, then have to sit there waiting for the timer to run out, even with the hidden fast forward option.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is generally well-received, complementing the overall experience effectively. While it shows potential for greater impact, it is still considered a strong aspect alongside the writing and voice acting, contributing to a worthwhile, albeit brief, gameplay experience.
- “The music was pretty good and worked well with the rest of the game.”
- “Despite having potential to be far greater, the writing, voice acting, and music are well done and make the game a worthwhile, if short, experience.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of *Trolley Problem, Inc.* is characterized by its immersive presentation and tense ambiance, effectively engaging players in the moral dilemmas it presents. Reviewers appreciate the game's unique style and the emotional weight of the choices, enhancing the overall experience.
- “With its presentation and tense atmosphere, 'Trolley Problem, Inc.' helps experience these fascinating conundrums in a creative, immersive way that, when it does its magic, makes you feel the weight of your choices.”
- “I love the game's style and atmosphere, as well as the constant moral struggle.”

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74%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews

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2h Median play time

5h Average play time

2-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Trolley Problem, Inc. is a casual simulation game with drama and comedy themes.

Trolley Problem, Inc. is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Trolley Problem, Inc..

Trolley Problem, Inc. was released on April 21, 2022.

Trolley Problem, Inc. was developed by Read Graves.

Trolley Problem, Inc. has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its humor but disliked it for its replayability.

Trolley Problem, Inc. is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Always Sometimes Monsters, Paper Cages, SIMULACRA, Death and Taxes, The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan and others.

Trolley Problem, Inc.

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